Here’s some old news from the Andover, East Andover, West Andover, Potter Place, and Cilleyville “gossip” columns of the Franklin Journal Transcript, selected by Heather Makechnie.

May 5, 1966

Engagement Announced: Mr. and Mrs. Victor H. Phelps of Andover announce the engagement of their daughter, Cynthia Grace, to James William Alley, son of Mrs. Virginia Alley of 7 Conant Drive, Concord.

Miss Phelps will graduate from New London High School in June. She plans to attend Pierce College. Mr. Alley was graduated from New London High School class of 1965 and is employed at the Structural Concrete Corporation in Franklin. No date has been set for the wedding.

May 12, 1966

Mr. Elmon and Mrs. Lois Dyar, and two children, of Farmington, Maine have moved in with her father, Henry Fagon, on the Flaghole Road.

The Youth Fellowship are holding a bottle drive on May 14 from 9 to 12 AM. Anyone having redeemable bottles they would like picked up, please call Martha Burney, 735-4472, or the Reverend Kelsey, 735-5539. Proceeds from these bottles will be used to provide partial scholarships for Andover young people to attend conference camp for a week this summer.

Andover School Principal Ray Burton announced late Wednesday that an immunization clinic will be held at the Andover School on May 16, during the morning school hours for the schoolchildren, and 1:30 to 2:30 PM for preschool children. The clinic will be under the charge of School Nurse Mrs. Evelyn G. Haight, RN and Dr. Emile Boselli.

At a meeting of the Andover Lions Club at the Potter Place Inn on Monday evening, Walter Hall of Webster Valve in Franklin spoke on, “What Does Webster Valve Contribute to the Franklin Area?” First, a payroll of $1,300,000. Second, new personnel moving into this area from other sections of the country. Third, taxes of $54,000 a year. Fourth, an increased educational desire of the people employed in its plant. It has exposed the workers to skills and trades that they had not had. The company has helped men and women further their education so they could advance in their job.

Webster Valve is part of the Watts Regulator Company, which was founded in 1875. It was purchased by the Horne family in the early 1900s, and they started the plant in Franklin in 1956. Beside the plants in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, they have plants in England and Canada. They have increased from 30 employees in 1944 to about 780 today. They manufacture temperature and pressure release valves, reduce valves, vacuum release valves, industrial airline lubricating valves, and hot water circulators. These products are sold all over the world.

The Regal Theatre in Franklin will be showing What’s New, Pussycat? Friday thru Saturday, starring Peter O’Toole and Peter Sellers. (The film was nominated for one Academy Award.)

May 19, 1966

Wedding congratulations go to Mr. Bruce Alfred and Sandra (Nelson) Goings. The couple were married at the Elkins Chapel in Elkins on April 23.